We want to wait until skeletal growth is nearly or completely finished before making this transition—for most German Shepherds, around 18 months is a good age to transition.

Since every individual grows a little differently, 18 months is also a great time to check in with your vet regarding your dog's growth trajectory.

Puppies have a higher calorie requirement per pound than adult dogs do, so you should feed them according to both their age and their weight. A good starting point is to follow the guidelines on the food bag, and make any adjustments (if needed) as recommended by your vet.

Remember to keep checking back with the guidelines as your puppy grows and gets older! Their feeding needs will keep changing until they are fully grown.

One big difference between puppies and adult dogs is that, while adult dogs eat to maintain body functions and daily activities, puppies eat to GROW. That’s a lot more work! Every part of their body, including their skeletons, grows rapidly in the first year of life (or two years, if they’re big dogs).

For this reason, puppies have more specific nutrient requirements. The acceptable range for nutrients is narrower for puppies, meaning nutrients like protein, minerals (calcium, phosphorus, etc.), fat, and also calories, will be super dialed-in for puppy food.

Young puppies should eat at least three times per day, with their daily food amount split between those meals. Beyond six months of age, you can choose to stay at three meals per day or go down to two.

Remember, puppies eat a lot of kibble for their body weight! It can help to eat smaller meals throughout the day to avoid overfilling their stomachs each time, especially with those tiny bellies.

Yes! We choose our recommended treats and toppers carefully to ensure they're the best option for puppies, and the treats can always be broken into smaller pieces for easier eating. We recommend giving to puppies 6 months and older.